Commentary: O.J. Did It: The CBC, President Obama and Black Enablers

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus recently met with President Barack Obama/Courtesy Photo

Don't judge this article by its headline.

This isn't a comparison of President Barack Obama to O.J. Simpson. It is, however, an examination of why certain members of the black community rush to the defense of any prominent black person whenever they receive public criticism.

Last week, several outlets reported that the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) was taking a lot of heat from the black community for criticizing President Obama's handling of the economy particularly in the black community.

One week the CBC takes heat from the Black community for criticizing the White House. The next week, there are glaring headlines that the CBC has "called a truce" or "made nice" with it.

Yet, the unemployment rate among Blacks is over 16 percent and climbing. The unemployment rate for the nation is STILL at 9 percent.

So, WHY is it a crime to call President Obama's hand on it?

This is precisely the problem with basing criticisms on anything other than...CRITICISMS. When you insert race into a criticism where it doesn't belong, it helps no one, and it only fosters bitter feelings while stifling intelligent debate.

Bert Johnson, a state senator from Michigan who happens to be black, is on the record in another national publications as saying: "...turning our ire on our president, as Rep. John Conyers and a handful of his colleagues unfortunately have done, is the wrong thing to do." He went on to say that: "We should not pull the rug out from underneath the president when he needs our solidarity most."

Mr. Johnson's comments are indicative of one of the biggest issues plaguing the Black community today: enabling.

The Black community is full of enablers.

This is exactly why the Black community as a whole cannot advance as fast as we need to. Every time anyone of prominence criticizes another Black person of prominence, the grassroots community jumps on them.